Prying device



March 31, 1931.

H. H. RUGG ET AL I PRYING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1927 Fig.5.

Fig.2. 47 38 34 39 as INVENTORS Harold Hfiu ggOnC Ralph E. Sho't well ATTCBRNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD H. RUGG AND RALPH E. SHOTWELL, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AS- SIGN ORS T WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PR-YING DEVICE Application filed Kay 14, 1927. Serial No. 191,525.

()ur invention relates to switch mechanisms and particularly to switch mechanisms of the cell type.

One object of our invention is to provide a stationary structure having contact members F therein, a movable structure having circuit breaker contact members disposed thereon for engaging and cooperating with the contact members disposed in the stationary structure, and a detachable means for prying the structures into and out of contact relation.

Another object of our invention is to provide. a switch mechanism of the above type and a detachable prying device that shall be adapted for use with any number of like switch mechanisms.

Heretofore it has been the general practice to provide prying devices on the switch mechanisms of this type for predetermining the position of the structures, the prying device being fixed to the structure and not interchangeable or adapted for use with any other structure. This practice is undesirable for the smaller type of switch mechanisms in view of the expense involved. Accordingly, we have provided a detachable prying device that is adapted for use with any number of like structures, thereby greatly reducing the cost of this type of apparatus.

These and other objects that may be apparent throughout the further description of our invention are attained by means of the apparatus hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a switch mechanism comprising our invention, Fig. 2 is a View, partly in sect on, of the prying device embodied in our invention,

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of a detail embodied in our invention,

Fig. 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of the detail shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the right end of the prying device shown in Fig. 2, turned through 90.

Our invention, in general, comprises a stationary structure 11 having contactmembers 12 and 13:, and a movable structure 14 carrying a circuit breaker 15,, contact members 16 and 17 for engaging and cooperating with the contact members 12 and 13, and a detachable prying device 18 adapted at one end to engage the stationary structure 11 and at its other end to engage the movable structure 14, whereby it may pry the movable structure into and out of connection to the said contact members.v

The entire prying device 18 comprises three separate assemblies 21, 22 and 23, which, for the sake of clearness, will be described separately.

Referring to Fig. 2, assembly 21 comprises a pipe 24 having a bayonet slot 25 disposed in its right end, a threaded rod 26 of substantially the same diameter fixed coaxially to the left end of the pipe 24 by any suitable means, such as shown at 27. A slot 29, the purpose of which will hereinafter be de scribed, is disposed in the pipe 24.

The assembly 22 comprises a cylindrical member 31 having internal threads 32, a member 33 having external threads 34 for engaging and cooperating with the internal threads 32 of member 31, member 36 having its left end externally threaded as at 37 for i cooperating with internal threads 38 in the right end of the member 33, and headless screws 39 for locking members 36 and 33 in fixed relation. The member 36 has a cylindrical collar 41 fixed thereon and a pin 42 disposed through the center perpendicular to its axis, having each of its ends extending downwardly as shown by Fig. 3, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.

Assembly 23 comprises a pipe 43 having external threads 44, and a cylindrical member 45 having internal threads 46 for cooperating with threads 44 of the pipe 43, the member 45 andthe pipe 43 being locked in fixed relation by means of headless screws 47 The pipe 43 is provided with a handle 48 disposed on its free end. The member is also provided with internal threads 50 for cooperating with the threads 28 of the rod 26.

The three assemblies 21, 22 and 23 each act as a separate unit, as can be seen best from Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The prying device 18 is inserted through a cylindrical opening 51 in the front panel of the structure 14, passes through a cylindrical opening 52 in the front face of the truck frame 53 and through an opening in the rear truck frame 54 and in partition 55 of the stationary structure and engages a pin 56 disposed on the bottom of the stationary structure 11. Figs. 3 and 4 make these arrangements clear.

The cylindrical collar 41 is of larger diameter than the cylindrical opening 52 in the truck frame 53, thereby preventing entrance of the prying device beyond the point desired. The cylindrical opening 52 is provided with notches 57 for permitting the passage of the pin 42 to the inner side of the truck frame 53, at which time the bayonet slot 25 in the right end of the prying device 18 engages the pin 56. Itcan be seen from the drawings that upon bodily turning the prying device 18, the bayonet slot lock-s with the pin 56 and the pin 42 turns out of the path of the notches 57, looking the prying device with the truck frame 53.

Upon turning the handle 48, which is a part of assembly 23, the assembly 23 travels along the threads 28 of the rod 26, carrying assembly 22 to the right or to the left according to the direction the handle 48 is turned. It will be noted that the assembly 21 is held stationary during this operation and that assembly 22 is moved along the pipe 24 by the member 45 of assembly 23 pressing against the right face of the member 31 or the inner face of member 33.

The slot 29 provided in the pipe 24 permits the pin 42 to move therein and the movement of the assembly 22 is limited in travel to the length of the slot 29.

Ball races 60 are provided at the outer edges of the member 45 for cooperating with the assembly 22 for sliding it to the right or the left as the handle 48 is turned and causing the assembly 23 to move within the assembly 22 with very small friction.

Accordingly, we have provided a switch mechanism comprising two relatively movable structures and a detachable device for moving the structures towards or away from each other that is adapted for use with any number of like structures, is simple in operation and is inexpensive to manufacture.

While we have illustrated and described but one embodiment of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the structure above described without departing from the spirit and scope of the appende claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A switch mechanism comprising a stationary structure, a movable structure, and a portable prying mechanism that is normally detached from, but adapted for engagement with, the fixed structure and the movable structure for prying the movable structure into and out of contact relation with'the stationary structure.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a stationary structure having contact members therein, a movable structure having disposed thereon a circuit breaker and contact members for engaging the contact members disposed in the stationary structure, a projection on each of the structures, and a portable device attachable to the projections and adapted to be lengthened and shortened to respectively effect disengagement and engagement of said contact members.

3. An electrical device comprising a stationary structure for supporting electrical apparatus, a movable structure for supporting electrical apparatus adapted to engage and cooperate with the electrical apparatus disposed in the stationary structure, engaging means on each structure, and a portable means attachable to the engaging means for prying the movable structure into and out of contact relation with the stationary structure.

4. An electrical device comprising a stationary structure for supporting electrical apparatus, a movable structure for supporting electrical apparatus adapted to engage and cooperate with the electrical apparatus, disclosed in the stationary structure, portable means for prying the electrical apparatus disposed on the movable structure into and out of contact relation with the apparatus disposed in the stationary structure and releasable engaging means for the portable means attached to each of the structures.

. 5. A switch mechanism comprising a stationary structure having contact members therein, a movable structure having circuit breaker and contact members for engaging the contact members disposed in the sta tionary structure, and a portable prying mechanism ordinarily disengaged from but adapted for engagement with the stationary structure and the movable structure for prying the structures into and out of a predetermined position.

6. The combination with a truck-type switching structure and a cell for its reception, of a member fixed on the truck and another member fixed to the cell for causing the movement of the truck when a force is exerted therebetween, a portable device comprising a stationary member and a rotatable screw member for elongating the device and means on the portable device for engaging the fixed members.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 5th day of May,

HAROLD H.- RUGG. RALPH E. SHOTWELL. 

